Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34107237›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology2021

Noncanonical Wnt Signaling Promotes Myofibroblast Differentiation in Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Tianju Liu, Francina Gonzalez De Los Santos, Mitchell Hirsch, Zhe Wu, Sem H Phan

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed
3.1field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 61 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Combined impact of ROR2 and its ligands on the pathogenesis and prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases : official journal of WASOG · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Altered Metabolism in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.Journal of cellular physiology · 2025
    Review
  12. Article
  13. Emerging Concepts in Fibroblast Biology and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis.Seminars in respiratory and critical care medicine · 2025
    Review
  14. Signaling pathways and targeted therapy for pulmonary hypertension.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2025
    Review
  15. Review
  16. Transcriptome Landscape of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Human PDAC.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025
    Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Tianju LiuDepartment of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Francina Gonzalez De Los SantosDepartment of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Mitchell HirschDepartment of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Zhe WuDepartment of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Sem H PhanDepartment of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
University of Michigan · US

Funding

BM alterations in exacerbation of pulmonary fibrosisR01HL138417 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI PHAN, SEM H · 2018 to 2021
$2.3M
Resistin-like molecules in pulmonary fibrosisR01HL112880 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI PHAN, SEM H · 2013 to 2016
$2.0M
NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL112880NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL138417
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway initiates a signaling cascade that is critical in cell differentiation and the normal development of multiple organ systems. The reactivation of this pathway has been documented in experimental and human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, wherein Wnt/β-catenin activation has been implicated in epithelial-cell repair. Furthermore, the canonical ligand Wnt3a is known to induce myofibroblast differentiation; however, the role of noncanonical Wnt ligands remains unclear. This study showed significantly higher levels of Wnt11 expression in cells from both patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and bleomycin-treated mice, as well as in TGFβ-treated mouse lung fibroblasts. Moreover, Wnt11 induced myofibroblast differentiation as manifested by increased α-SMA (ACTA2) expression, which was similar to that induced by canonical Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling. Further investigation revealed that Wnt11 induction of α-SMA was associated with the activation of JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase)/c-Jun signaling and was inhibited by a JNK inhibitor. The potential importance of this signaling pathway was supported by

Indexed as

Animalsbeta CateninBleomycinCell DifferentiationFemaleFibroblastsHumansIdiopathic Pulmonary FibrosisMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMyofibroblastsPulmonary FibrosisWnt3A ProteinWnt-5a ProteinWnt ProteinsWnt Signaling Pathwaybeta CateninBleomycinCTNNB1 protein, humanWnt11 protein, humanWnt11 protein, mouseWnt3A ProteinWNT3A protein, humanWnt3a protein, mouseWnt-5a ProteinWNT5A protein, humanWnt5a protein, mouseWnt ProteinsACTA2myofibroblast differentiationWnt signaling

Identifiers

PMID34107237
PMCPMC8641847
OpenAlexW3169272493

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.